- Nathan MacKinnon dropped the gloves with Roope Hintz in the second period of Colorado’s 3-2 win in Dallas
- Hintz landed three rights, including one square on MacKinnon’s nose, and the Avs star left bloodied
- Read below for MacKinnon’s explanation and the history between the two centers
Nathan MacKinnon got the worst of his fight with Roope Hintz on Tuesday night, but the Avalanche got the win.
The two centers dropped the gloves midway through the second period of Colorado’s 3-2 victory over the Stars in Dallas. MacKinnon had been cross-checking Hintz in the Avalanche zone, Hintz took a swipe back, and the gloves came off.
Watch the fight:
Hintz landed three hard rights, including one that hit MacKinnon square on the nose. The reigning Rocket Richard winner was covered in blood and went to the locker room to get stitched up, per Daily Faceoff. He still finished the night with two assists.
MacKinnon was asked about the fight after the game and kept it simple.
“Two guys playing hard. (A) couple slashes and we fought,” MacKinnon said. “It was kind of an innocent play last year. I don’t know. You’d have to ask him, I guess.”
The play he mentioned came on March 2 in Dallas, when the two got tangled up in the corner and Hintz suffered a season-ending hamstring injury, according to the Denver Gazette.
MacKinnon also admitted Hintz got him. “My visor cut me, but he definitely got me with a couple though too,” he said. “Big guy and he definitely got me with a couple good punches too.”
It was MacKinnon’s second fight in six games this season. He also dropped the gloves in the opener against Brandt Clarke of the Kings, a bout we covered here.
Martin Necas scored twice for Colorado and Mackenzie Blackwood made 24 saves. Cale Makar sat out to be with his wife for the birth of their twins, and Colorado played short up front after Zachary L’Heureux was ruled out before puck drop with an upper-body injury.
The Avalanche and Stars run it back Wednesday night at Ball Arena in Denver.
